Blazoning may be regarded as
the art of describing in appropriate terms the charges according to
their several gestures, positions, and tinctures. In blazoning there
are rules, established by ancient custom, which must be observed: -

This "How to Blazon" Learning
Center feature may not be reproduced in any way without the
expressed written permission of Armorial Gold Heraldry Services.

Blazoning may be regarded as the art of
describing in appropriate terms the charges
according to their several gestures,
positions, and tinctures. In blazoning the
following rules, established by ancient
custom, must be observed: -

1. The description
must be clear and in proper terms, nothing
omitted which ought to be specified, and
nothing specified which may safely be
omitted.

2. The Field must be
first specified.

3. If the Field be
divided whether, per Pale, per Bend, per
Fesse, or otherwise, the division should be
mentioned first, with the difference of
lines, whether indented, engrailed, or
otherwise.

4. If the Field be
undivided, that is, if it be not divided per
Pale, per Bend, per Fesse, or Quarterly or
Quartered or the like, the tincture of the
Field is first to be dealt with, then the
Ordinaries, and then the principal charges,
primarily specifying those which occupy the
most honourable place in the Shield, and
mainly that charge first which lies next and
immediately upon the Field and nearest the
centre and then those charges which are more
remote. But where a charge possesses the
middle or centre of the Field, the
Honourable Ordinaries, such as the Chief,
Bordure, Orle Tressure, Quarter, and Canton
are named after those other figures, because
frequently the Chief, Bordure, etc., are
either Differences or Augmentations. Thus we
say, Or, a lion Azure, a Chief Gules. In
blazoning a Coat of Arms in which different
Quarterings are arranged in one Shield, the
number should be specified, as quarterly of
ten, twenty, or fifty, or any other number.

5. When a Lion or
other principal bearing is placed both on
the Chief and on the Field, the Chief must
be mentioned after the Field of which it is
a part; as for instance Argent, a Chief
Azure, a Lion Gules, crowned and armed Or.

6. When the Shield is
filled with many small Pales of Metal and
Colour of an uneven number, as for example
of five pieces Or and four Gules, then the
greater number of pieces makes the Field and
the lesser the charges; but when the pieces
of Metal and Colour are equal or even it is
called Paly at the same time expressing the
number.

7. When the Shield is
filled with an even number of Bends of Metal
and Colour, not exceeding six it is called
Bendy, but if the number extends to ten,
then it is called Cotised, specifying the
number of pieces. When the number of pieces
in the Shield is uneven and exceeds nine, as
for example 11 or 13, then the lesser number
which makes the charges are called Ribbons
containing a half part of the Cotise or Cost
only.

8. After naming the
tincture of the field, the Honourable
Ordinaries or other principal figures, their
attributes must be specified, that is
whether they be indented, engrailed, wavy,
etc., and afterwards their metal and colour.
But if they be plain the bare mention of
them with their tincture is sufficient.

9. When an Honourable
Ordinary or some figure is placed upon
another, whether it is a Fesse, Cheveron,
Cross, etc., it is always to be named after
the Ordinary or Figure over which it is
placed, with one of these expressions,
overall or surtout or surmounted by.

10. When a common
charge is in the centre of the Shield, its
position is not to be expressed, or what
amounts to the same thing, when such a
Bearing is named, without specifying the
point where it is placed, then it is
understood to occupy the middle of the
Shield. But when a sword, a pair of wings, a
trefoil, a lion , or any other figure or
charge is placed in the manner of a Bend, a
Pale, or Fesse, or other Ordinary, the
figure or charge is said to be in Bend, in
Pale, in Bend Sinister, in Fesse, etc.

11. A repetition of
the same words must be avoided and
especially such words as of, or and, with.
Thus to blazon Azure, a Chevron Or, between
three garbs Or, would be incorrect, but the
coat might either be blazoned Azure, a
Chevron between three Garbs Or, which
implies that the Chevron and Garbs are Or;
or Azure, a Chevron Or between three Garbs
of the last, which would be equally correct.

12. As a rule metal
must not be placed upon metal, or colour
upon colour, and to do so is termed false
Heraldry.

13. As to Ermine, when
the spots are many and dispersed all over
the Field, they are not to be numbered in
the blazon of the Coat; but if a certain
number be formally disposed, then the
bearing is not to be blazoned Ermine, the
spots being charges and called Ermine spots
or Musketours; and in blazon their name,
number, and position must be expressed. If a
Cross, Saltier etc., composed of Ermine
spots from a Coat, then the number should be
mentioned, as Argent, 5 Ermine spots in
cross or Saltier; Argent, 10 Ermine spots,
4, 3 2, and 1.

14. In blazoning of
charges, whether animate or inanimate, if
they are of the natural and proper colours
of the creatures or things they represent,
they must be termed proper, and not Argent,
Gules, or such like.

15. The number of the
points of Mullets and the rays of Estoiles
or Stars must be specified when more than
five; and also if a Mullet or any other
charge be pierced the fact must be
mentioned.

16. When Subordinate
Ordinaries or common charges, such as Piles,
Rays of the Sun, etc., are born in any other
part of the Field than the centre, the point
they are issuing from must be named. Where
several bearings of the same species by
their position seem to form one of the
Ordinaries, in such a case, without
regarding the points of the Shield, they
must be blazoned by the name of the
Ordinaries they represent, and one must say,
for instance, five foxes in Bend, three
lions in Pale, five bezants in Saltier, and
so of others. Note there is a difference
between Bearings in Chief and Ranged in
Chief: one or more Bearings in Chief is said
to express their position in the chief point
of the Shield; but when, for instance, we
say, three Torteauxes ranged in Chief, we
mean, placed in a straight line, in form of
a Chief.

17. If a Coat of Arms
having a border be impaled with another, as
by marriage, the border is wholly omitted on
the side of the Shield parted per Pale which
contains the Arms to which the border does
not appertain; but if a Coat encompassed
with a border is marshalled Quarterly with
other Coats, then no part of the border must
be omitted.

18. When there are
many figures of the same kind born in a Coat
of Arms, their number, position, and
disposition must be observed and distinctly
expressed.

19. When the Field is
strewed with the same figures, some whole,
others half seen, this is expressed by the
word semé, or if the figures strewed on the
Shield are entirely whole ones the
expression may be varied to sans nombre.

20. When an Ordinary
surmounts or is placed over an animal, it is
said to be debruised or oppressed by that
Ordinary. Should however the Ordinary lie
over another Ordinary the expression "debruised
by" must not be used, but the words
"surmounted by," or "over all" employed. See
Rule 9. It should be remembered that in
Heraldry the word over invariably means
upon, and is never used in the sense of
above.

21. Charges are always
to be represented as moving towards the
Dexter side of the Shield unless otherwise
specified.

22. The Fret is
generally made up of six sticks and if there
be more it must be mentioned.

23. The Treillis or
Treillé is made up of eight sticks which is
not to be expressed, but in blazoning of
them the tincture of the nails which
distinguish them from the Fret and Fretty
should be specified.

24. In blazoning of
heavenly bodies, such as the sun, moon, and
planets, first the state or condition must
be stated as to the sun whether in his
meridian or eclipse; as to the moon whether
in her increase or decrease, etc., and in
general proper astronomical terms should be
employed.

25. When man or the
parts of his body are to be blazoned, it is
first to be considered whether he is born
whole or in part; if whole in what kind of
gesture or action, also whether naked or
clothed, and if the latter after what
manner, as whether in armour, in robes, or
in what costume. If the head only, whether
whole front face, in profile, or in what
aspect. When the temples of a man or woman
are encircled with laurel, oak, ivy, etc.,
this has to be termed wreathed with laurel,
oak, or ivy as the case may be.

26. The natural
position of animals and other charges is not
expressed in blazoning. Thus lions are
naturally rampant, owls are always born
full-faced, and ostrich feathers are with
their tops embowed or turned down (to
distinguish them from the feathers of other
birds which are always born straight) which
is not to be specified. Note that a plume of
feathers is generally made up of three
ostrich feathers which is not to be
expressed, but if there be more, this must
be mentioned.

27. The teeth, claws
or talons of lions, tigers, bears, leopards,
boars, wolves, dragons, and all ravenous
beasts are called their arms, because they
are weapons of offence and defence, so when
they are of a different tincture from their
bodies then the colour must be named; and
when their tongues are of the colour of
their arms, then they are said to be langued,
as a lion Argent, armed and langued Gules.
The claws and tongue of a lion are always
Gules, unless the Field or Charge be Gules,
when they must be Azure unless otherwise
expressed in the grant of Arms.

28. If an animal is
said to be dismembered, the parts are to be
put a little distance from each other, but
near enough to preserve the form and shape
of the animal, which if dismembered in any
particular part this should be mentioned, as
dismembered on the head, if the head be cut
off; dismembered of the right or left foot,
or of his tail as the case may be.

29. A lion rampant
without tongue and claws is sometimes called
a mortne, and when without a tail, they term
him defamed; holding in his mouth a staff or
baton, they term him bailloné. If however he
be rampant or sejant with his face to the
Sinister, they call him contourné. If the
tail hangs between the animal's hind legs,
he is termed coward; and if his eyes are of
a fiery colour, he is termed allumeé or
incensed. The whole fore legs of any animal
born in a Coat of Arms is termed a jamb, but
if couped or erased near the middle joint it
is called a paw. A bearing not infrequently
met with is that of being with two tails or
double queued, which is represented under
different circumstances, as with two tails
erect, two tails forked and wreathed, that
is twisted over one another and having the
two ends forked, and with two tails nowed or
knotted.

30. As to beasts by
nature mild and by custom more sociable,
such as the goat, ox, etc., which are
endowed by nature with weapons as horns
which together with hoofs are very often
different from their bodies, they may be
blazoned as armed and hoofed or unglued of
such and such tinctures.

31. As to beasts by
nature timorous, such as the stag, and the
like, who are supposed to wear their antlers
not as weapons but as ornaments, these are
to be blazoned, attired.

32. As to the dog or
hound of which there are several kinds, some
bred to divers exercises and games, the
terms usually employed are beating,
coursing, scenting, etc.

33. As to the falcon,
this bird is born in the same postures as
the eagle and has the same terms, except
when with hood, bells, virds, (or rings),
and leashes when it is said to be hooded,
belled, jessed, and leashed, and the colours
thereof must be specified. Pouncing is a
term given when striking at its prey.

34. If falcons or
eagles are drawn feeding, they are then
termed preying. When their wings are both
behind the head, and back to back, they are
either termed expanded, expansed, or
addorsed; and when the wings are on each
side of the head, and the points are erect,
they are termed elevated. An eagle with
wings elevated and the legs extended is
called displayed, and by some termed a
spread eagle. Whether eagles in this
attitude be born on Arms with either one or
two heads, they should in either case be
termed eagles displayed, but when the eagle
is represented with two heads, that
circumstance ought likewise to be mentioned
in the blazon. As, Azure, an eagle with two
heads displayed Or. Wings of birds by pairs
are called wings conjoined; and if their
points are downwards they are termed
inverted or in lure. When birds are looking
behind them, they like beasts are called
reguardant.

35. Those birds which
are not birds of prey, as swans, ducks,
cranes, etc., are to be blazoned beaked and
membered, the last denoting the legs of any
bird, and as to their claws and talons
armed. But the feet of such birds as swans,
geese, ducks, etc., are webbed are in
blazoning, sometimes termed palmipedes from
their supposed resemblance in some measure
to the palm of a man's hand. Swans when
blazoned proper, must be white with red
beaks and black about the nostrils.

36. When the head of a
swan is born as a charge or otherwise in
Heraldry, it is blazoned a swan's neck (not
head) erased or couped, but this is not the
custom in regard to any other species of
bird whatsoever.

37. The Cornish Chough
is constantly represented as entirely black
except its beak and legs which are red. In
blazon it is styled proper; and therefore
the colour of its beak and legs, although
different from that of its body, need not be
mentioned.

38. In blazoning the
cock, the terms armed, crested, and jelloped
may be used, armed signifying his beak and
spurs; crested his comb; and jelloped his
wattles or gills. When his comb, beak,
wattles, and spurs are of a different
tincture from his body, then in blazoning
they must be named, for instance, Azure a
cock Argent, armed, crested, and jelloped
Gules.

39. Birds when on the
wing are termed volant. The bat is by some
blazoned as a bat displayed, by others a bat
volant, but it is doubtful if either are
proper terms. Some say the only heraldic
position for the bat is flying, and others,
displayed and full faced. The phoenix is
generally shown as in flames with the wings
elevated, and this is blazoned, a phoenix in
flames proper, but when the wings are close,
the circumstance must be expressed.
Edmondson remarks that when small birds are
born on a Coat of Arms they are usually
drawn in the shape of blackbirds, although
they are represented in all the different
colours and metals of Heraldry, and
consequently no distinction of species is
made; therefore in blazon they are called by
the general term of birds only. Hence when
birds are mentioned in a blazon without
expressing their kind, they must always be
shaped as blackbirds.

40. The terms
appropriated to fishes are not as numerous
as to birds. When they are place in a
horizontal direction as if they were
swimming, they are said to be naiant, and
when they are placed perpendicular, so that
the head is in chief and the tail in base,
they are said to be hauriant, that is
drawing or sucking in air. When they are
feeding and swallowing all whole they are
termed vorant.

41. When a dolphin
appears on a Coat of Arms straight. It
should be blazoned, a dolphin extended
naiant, when in a perpendicular position,
but with its body wreathed or bent in shape
of the letter S, is should be blazoned; a
dolphin hauriant torqued; and when two
dolphins are placed in a shield
perpendicular and face to face, they are
called tow dolphins hauriant, respecting
each other, but if placed back to back, they
are said to be hauriant addorsed.

42. When the fins of
fishes are of a different tincture from
their bodies, they are said to be finned of
such a colour, naming it, as a dolphin
proper, finned Or.

43. In the blazoning
of trees, vegetables, and fruits and parts
thereof the first considerations is, of a
tree what kind and the conditions, whether
spread or blasted, whether bearing fruit or
not; if a part only, what part, whether
trunk, branches, fruit, or leaves, if the
former, whether standing or not, if not, in
what manner it seems to have been felled,
that is whether eradicated or torn up by the
roots. If the bearing consists of members
only as it branches, fruit, or leaves,
whether with fruit or withered or simply
alone, whether slipped, pendant (drooping ),
or erect, which last holds good of all kinds
of flowers or grain when born simply or on
their stalks.

44. The natural and
only colour of trees, plants, fruits, etc.,
is to be expressed by the word proper, but
if they should be of diverse colours, such
distinction must be particularized.

45. Every charge in
which there is the distinction of front and
back is ordinarily to be turned toward the
Dexter side of the Shield unless directed to
be placed otherwise, but in banners the
charges should be turned towards the staff.
It must be remembered that on the earliest
plates remaining in the stalls of the
Knights of the Garter in St. George's
Chapel, Windsor, all the Shields and charges
are inclined towards and Altar so that those
on the north side are turned contrary to the
usual practice.

46. In blazoning of
Towers, Castles, or Walls which are
turreted, crenelle, or ascented, the number
of pieces, or turrets, battlements, and
ascents must be expressed.

Other rules of
blazoning are better gathered from examples
than expressed in words. In some of the Old
Peerages and Heraldic books we meet with the
Arms of the nobility blazoned by the
so-called corresponding names of precious
stones and reference made to sundry meanings
attached to the metals and colours and so
forth. As a matter of curiosity therefore we
give a Table taken from Robson who made a
careful extract from the old authors upon
this fanciful subject, and gave a concise
and accurate synopsis of the whole system in
what he termed a Paradigm. It is practically
one with the Table in the "Encyclopædia
Londinensis" and given also in Berry's
"Introduction to Heraldry" (London, 1810).

Copyright 2001-2017
- Armorial Gold Heraldry Services -

Site Design & Graphics by Armorial Gold Heraldry Services. All Heraldry Art,
Heraldry Clipart, Gods and Goddesses Clipart, Saints Collection, Italian Coats of Arms, Birds of Prey Clipart. Heraldic
Alphabets, Spanish Coats of Arms, and all other heraldic, coats of arms, or companion images contained in this site including downloads are copyright of Armorial Gold Heraldry Services. The Heraldry Clipart is
hand drawn by Armorial Gold Heraldry. Heraldic art samples are provided as a courtesy to potential buyers and the heraldry
samples remain the property of Armorial Gold Heraldry Services. Reproduction in any form other than in the manner stipulated
in the Armorial Gold Heraldry Services license agreement or FAQ section is strictly prohibited. All heraldic and companion
images purchased through this site are governed by a license agreement executed between the buyer and Armorial Gold Heraldry
Services